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Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1827, 13 June 1874, Page 2

There was no business at the E #3. dent Magistrate's Court, yesterday. A sitting of the District Court was to have been held here yesterday, but owing to the late arrival of Judge Harvey in town, the Court was adjour <ed until this morning, at 10 o'clock. . The postponed football match of fifteen lawyc s and -bankers v. fifteen all-comers will he played this afternoon on the Camp Reserve, The teams seem to be well matched, though the preponderance of bone and sinew is certainly on the side of the all-comers ; no doubt the game will be thoroughly well contested, and will afford plenty of amusement to lookers-on as well as to those actively engaged in it. The Hokitika Lunatic Asylum, under the superintendence a d management of Mr Gribben. is conducted in a highlyefhcient and satisfactoiy manner, and it must be a conso--1 tion to those who have friends and relatives in that institution to know that the wants and comforts of the patients are so assiduously cared for. This institution will compare : favorably with others of a similar character established in older and more settled Provinces as regards stuation, the neat and beautiful style in which the grounds are laid out, the cominod'ous and airy apartments, and the orderly manner in which everything is kept. The clean and ti<l v appearance of the patients, shows at once theatteutum and care bestowed on them, and id suggestive that everything is done to allevia-e the sufferings of those who are unfortunately placed in this painful and melancholy position. A number of the patients promenade within the enclosures from daylight to dark, and appear to be : happy and contented, while others betake themselves to sundry oocuoaiions. By their industry, ue >rly all the buildings ha/c been ereced, fences put up. and th« grounds cultivate I and kept in order. Mr Gribben, who seems to have His whole heart in the work., and by his energy and zeal done everything to divert and amuse those undor his charge, has provided a splendid billiard-table and piano, which, when the weather prevents outdoor exercise, are gladly taken advantage or by the unfortunate i -maces of the asylum Th-. table i^ placed in a la-ge a"d commodious r>om, specially built, in the male departmeut of the institution, while the piano is placed in the female department, and accessible to female patients only. Mr Gribben became responsible for the payment of these now indispensible requisites in an asylum, and by subscriptions solicited by him in Weptland, and by voluntary donations, he has been enabled to discharge the greater part of the liability. About L6O remains to be paid, and we would draw the attention of our rea Jers to the fact, trusting that some of them may devise a way to assist in helping to make up the amouut. The ent rtainment given at the Volunteer Hall last evening for the benefit of Mr Haig, proved one of the best, if not tha best amiteur performance ever listensd to in Greymouth. The hall was fairly filled, although not crowded, and the audience, by their continued applause, sh> wed how much they appreciated each effort made. -» s usual Mrs Mark s -ing most excellently, while the new debutante, Miss Fuzsimmbns, created the delightful surprise or nucb a valuable acquisition being made to our musical amateur strength. Mr Waters read ve-y well, and judiciously made it not too long, while Messrs Greenwood, Lyell, and Warner, in their glees, contributed most materially to the success of the evening. The solos by the gentlemen vocalists were well and aptly chosen, and cli ited hearty approval, while the comic element of Messrs Mo-gan and I each was irresistably funny. The former excelled himself in Mephistophelesin the first part, am his songs in the second part brought forth encore after encore, before the voracious appetite of his audience could be satisfied His acting and singing well merited all the applause they received. «'r Leech, in »chneider "Will you buy a doag," first puzzied, then tickled, then pleased his audieuce to the r hearts' content; and that audience most emphatically demonstrated it. Altogether the musical melange i was a sterling treat, and, as we have before said, we think the best ever rendered Lere by amateurs. The only drawback to the success and pleasure of the evening was the presence of the larrikin element, | prominent &moßg whom in the

gallery were the always present larrikin ckcquerßi who not content with hands, feet, and whistling, must needs have sticks and wooden slabs wherewith the more strongly to enforce the unwholesome conviction of their undesirable and annoying 'presence. For the future, as elsewhere, it would be well to hjsve a policetnun present in the Volunteer Hall to curb their rowdyish propensities, and if his presence be not sufficient, then let him be empowered to put them outside. As it was last night, the pleasure of listening to a first-class entertainment was greatly marred by their presence and conduct. It is intended to erect a bridge over the Waitaki river, immediately above the junction of the Maerewhenua river. The cost of the work is to be equally borne by the Otago and Canterbury Governments. This work will supply a want long felt, and be the means of opening up a large extent of agricultural and pastoral land on both sides of the river. % The Bruce Herald has authority for saying that the fine freehold estate of 17,000 acres, belonging to the Maitland family, on the bank of the Clutha, has been purchased by private treaty, on behalf of Mr Adam Begg, of Anderson's Bay, near Dunedin, the price L 52.000, the stock being taken at valuation. Mrßeggisan honest and thrifty- Old Identity, from the year 1848, and his many friends about Tokomairiro and elsewhere will be glad to hear that the finest freehold estate in the district has fallen into the hands of such a worthy member of the original founders of Otago Mr Begg continues the ol<l staff on the estate, with the addition of two of his •well-doing sons. [Seeiny that there is a sitting of the District Court to-day* we imagine the lawyers will be otherwise engagee.] The Prov'ncial Secretary of Otago caused some amusement in the Provincial Council the other day by alluding to VI r H. S. Fish jas a "political scavenger" The honorable ( member for Dunedin seemed to accept the , position, and only retorted by siyintj that political scavengers were never more wanted than since Mr Reid had held his present! position. ; A fatal accident of a very painful nature oicurred at Alberton, Lake Wanaka, Otago, when a little boy, aged six years, son of Mr Theodore Russell, publican there, was in-, stantaneouslv killed by the wheel of a waggon passing over him. It Reems that while a 1 bullock waggon in charge of J. Gwing was standing in front of Mr Russell's door, the little fellow mounted' oh the pole, as was a. usual custom with him. Ewing, in turning, the Isadora, oawtho wheel of the waggon pass over the boy's back. It is thought that; in attempting to jump from the pole the : little fellow missed his footing and fell before the wheel. When picked up he was dead. The borings carried on at Naseby, Otago, have demonstrated that three miles of payable ground could be worked if the Naseby sludge-channel were deepened. A telegram received in Invercargill announced the death, on the 25th ult.j of one of thp oMest Southland colonists— Captain John howell, of Fairlubt Station, Like Wakati|>. The veterau. wbo had been aiiing for some time past, went * few weeks ago on a visit Li> Sydney, whence the intelligence ot his <li>ease wts received as stated. The News says: — ''One of the best specimens of the 'old school,' blunt, hearty, kindly, and; hospitable, he will be long re nembered by tionthlaud colonists. " We take the following from the Bee/ton Courier:— ' Mr Warden Broad's last trip to the Ma akitaki appears to have been a rather eventful one. [t seems that the polices officer stationed at Lyell had do ie something to excite the Matakit- kites, and on his arrival there with the Warden about twenty or thirty of the roadmen expressed their intention to 'go for him right off.' But whether the demonstration was a friendly or hostile one it is hard to say, is the original intention was not parried out, but instead the belligerents pitched into one auother inasuriminately, aud a tolerably hot conflict ensued, during which a good deal of skin and ha r was seat flying a>>out iv all directions. In the rencontre Mr Tempe-ly and Constable Chichestcr, who were acting as mediators, got several • clips,' after which the latter gentlemen threw themselves iit> a hollow square, and finally retired in good ' order' — if not to say 'condition.' The melee having lasted its due time, the combatants adjourned for refre hment, and an amicable spirit having supervened, coats, hats, etc., were donned, and ' t-here was a sound of revelry by night.' But the matter was not permitted to end in such a manner, as a >Ar Dan M'Lean, who appears to have been the instigator and ringleader of the disturbance, was arrested and lodged in gaol. During Mr Broad's stay at Matakitaki he was asked by a man to grant a matrimonial .divorce. Mr Broad informed the applicant that he was quite ready to do anything in the way of cancelling certificates for head-races, but ; power to cancel marriage certificates he had -ot. . Whereupon the applicant remarked, 'Didn't you give me six months at Charles,ton. and isn't that power enough for you to have?' but the Warden didn't Bfie the analogy, and dismissed the application. " The Reefton Courier hastens to correct an amusing error iv the interests of all Good Templars. By an unfortunate misprint contained iv its mining reporter's letter one of ithe most sober and well-regulated miners in the district, working in the Devil's Creek, was said to have been "drinking" very hard of late, whereas it should have read "driving." The mistake was an awkward one, we must confess, but we trust it will not be the uieans of " driving the injured man to d-ink " We (Otago Daily Times) have the following ou tae best authority :— After one of the immigrant ships, recently arrived here, had been at sea a ft w days, the captain, finding that a number of the passengers belonging to the class known as the " Jight-fi ugered gentry," advjaed the immigrants that if they had any money, it would be best to place it in his for safe keeping till arrival. One free immigrant, acting on the suggestion, handedthe captain a sum of LI2OO. Comment is needless. The five immigrants remaining on Quarantine Island, Port I halmers, were landed on the 2r.d inst., after being inspected by Dr O'Donoghue. The Quarantine Station is clear once more, and the yellow flag was struck, after flying four months. The Otago Immigration Barracks at Caversham contained over 700 immigrants a few days auo. The Dunedin City Council have resolved ~o apply to Parliament for the extension of their bori owing powers to the extent of L250.H00, for gas and water supply purposes, Wp (Otago Guardian) learn on good authority that the New Zealand Colonial Hanking Company has concluded the purchase from r B. Halleusteiu of that portion of his freehold property adjoining the Bank of New Zealand, having a frontage to Custom House Square. The site is undoubtedly one of the 1 most central in the city, and the bank is to be congratulated on its selection. The purchase price has not transpired. For some days past a petition has been hawked about Cobden and, Coal Creek Flat, asking that Sergeant Neville should be removed from Cobden. 1 The origin of this proceeding has arisen from the splenetic feeling of two or three factious individuals - hoi toes have been trodden upon by the Sergea i in the conscientious discharge of his duty '

and they have managed to coax, wheedle, or coerce a few, but, luckily, only a few, net sons into siuning the petition. When, however, it was known to the Sergeant's frieuds that this little game was being played they at once prepared a counter petition, and that is doh- bei..g signed most extensively throu hint the district Itßpeaks ill for those who have initiated the'ie steps against Mr eville thai they cannot appreciate the value of an officer who performs his duties so efficiently as he* doesV and does so with an urbanity and courtesy rarely found in officialdom As soon as the d >cumentin fay rof Mr Neville comes back. from the aam try we ,sha 1 take an opportunity again to refer to it. but, in the meantime, we hope everyone interested ~in"th"e"mat'ter will take the opportunity of expressing their opinion Meß-rs Higginson and rar/uthers. Ensi-neer-in-Chief and Inspecting Engineer, arrived in town late last night, in time to catclt the p.s. Wallace, bound for Hokitika. With r-gard to their proceedings in Hokitika the Westland Register of yesterday says: — The Engineer in-Chief (Mr Carruthers), accompanied by Messrs Giesow, Higginson. Mueller, and Captain Turribull, proceeded up the river yesterday, m the haibor- boat, for the purpose of inspecting the river at the place where the many diverging streams have branched off from the main current. The party, after landing from the boat, proceeded on foot to places where it is supposed to be necessary to control the river, and during the inspection the various guts and streams that have lately been formed were carefully pointed out by Mr Mueller, the Provincial Fnoineer, and Captain Turnbull, Harbormaster, 1 They visited Goat Island, and also as far up as near Ritchie's ferry ; in fact, took a general survey' of the many streams into which the river has' here formed itself. A. short time ago tenders were invited' by the General Government for the construction of four railway waggons in Dunedin These are now completed in a satisfactory manner, the cost beinij a' little in excess of that for which they could : be imported. Tenders are now . being called for 100 high-sided goods waggons. In this instance t c Government will supply the iron necessary for their construction, the contractor being required to provide the wood and put them together. At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Dunedin, the other day, a man named Crossman was charged with drunkenness, and admitted the offence. His Worship : You are a married man. and I have strong reasons t<> believe that you ill-treat your wife. - D - fendant : That has nothing to do wi h the present case lam charged with drunken ness— His Worship: I will just te 1 you what I think of such a man. He is guilty of perjury, since he has s.vornto protect the woman he takes to his home as his wife. Ti> a man of education I know of no more degrading crime ; for 'do call it nothing else than thai; ; so you just accept that as a caution. I have a very good authority for what I say, You are fined 20s, or in default three da^s, imprisonment. Mrs Kill, a widow sixty-five years of age has just received from a Derby jury the sum of LSO, as a solatium for her blighte 1 affections iv the nonfulfilment of a promise <<f marriage by a gay .widower, one Vlr Wild, who was stated to be B>venty yp.it s nf kgd Mrs Hill was defendant's '•first love," Hit their courtship bore out the o d axiom, '• There's many a slip," &c. However, the day after the burial of the plaintiff 's sec >nd husband the old affection revived on the parb of Mr Vild, Who again offered her marriage, was accepted, but eventually jilted her once more, and has had to pay for his folly. An Englishman of rauk, a cadet of one of the ducal houses, has been caught cheating at wbist. By a trick, common enough among esnrocs, but, one would, nope, very unusual M m ngst men of honor, he contrived t turn up an honor whene er the necessi ies of the game made it requisite to do so. A mHinber of the. turf club at which theg«htleman in question was <n thu habit <>f playing for very high stakes, suspected that all was not fair aud above board, and,' watching very closely, found out how everything *vas man tged He imldly charted Mrßlank with foal play, and compelled him to disgorge a considerable portion of his winnings Mr Blank withdrew his naoie from the club at whic > the d scovery was made, and the next morning sent iv his res : gnation to all those of which he was a member. But he now stoutly protests his innoc nee, asserts that he was at fiist overwhelmed on a false charge being made ag linst him; and a large number •f his friends, amongst whom is no less a personage that the Prince of Wales, believe most thoroughly in his innocence, although they all 'admit that his good luck in thq way of Holding honors was very remarkable. The following agricultural areas under the Nelson Land Regulations, were applied for and recommended, after . being reported upon by Mr Surveyor Treat at the Warden's Court, Ahaura, on Friday: — Samuel Mackley, 21 acres, at Waipuha, Noble's district ; James Edwards, 43 acres, at Nelson Creek ; Abe Jenkins, 28 acres. Nelson Creek ; Michael Diennan, 50 acres, Nelson Creek ; Abraham Jenkins, 52 acres, Nelson Creek j Michael i.'rennan, 66 acres, Nelson Creek j making a total of about 270 acres. , , / A public., meeting is to bo held at; the Court House, Ahaura, on this (Saturday) evening, to protest against the proposed removal of the Warden from the Grey Valley, or against any amalgamation of the Grey Valley with any other Warden's district. Similar meetings will be held throughout the Grey Valley, during next week. * It is with very great regret that we extract from the Christchurcti Press of the Bth the following particulars of the sad fate of a, young man formerly iv the police force here, and highly respected by all who knew him. He was a great favorite with his comrades and was nearly connected with an offiiial of high standing at Greymouth. [Our Resident Magistrate, W. H. Kevell, Ksq],, Our contemporary tells the story as follows ;_—'.' a_ very sad accident , -ccurred. <>n last Saturday evening, by which Mr T. X, O'oallas>haii, of Kaiapoi Island, lost his life. We learn that M-- O'Oallaghan, accompanied by Mr Storer. who also lives on the Island, left Christchurch in the afternoon in a light American waggon, and arrived at Coutts' bridge (about midway between White's bridge and; his own " house) about half-past seven. The appro ich to this bridge from the Island side is very, steep, and when the bridge had been crossed Mr i )'Oallaghan remarked thao the night wasvery dark, but he thought the mare knew her way home. Immediately afterwards the mare fell, and rolled down the embankment, and when they leached the bottom Mr O'Callaghan was under the waggon, which was also on Mr Storer's legs Mr U'Calla«han aske I the latter to release him two or three times, but" he could not extricate himself. Vlr Storer, however, cooey'd, and then became unconscious. The cooey was heanl by Vlesßrß Beswick. Macfarlane. and. Shaw, of Kaiapoi, who were returning from Christ 1 church. They reported the f.<ct at the Courtney Hotel, and a man named Dickie went to ascertain if any accident had happened, and soon returned, stating that Messrs O'Callaghan and Storer had been capsized. Mr Smith went to the spot, and on removing the trap found Mr O'Callaghan quite dead, lying with his chest under the shaft. Dr Nedwill was immediately telegraphed for, but found on arrival that life had been extinct for some time. Mr Storer, weunderstand, has not received any very serious injury, ihe deceased was well known, and held a large farm ou the Island.. He was a brother of the Rev. A. P. O'Callaghan."